This article contains spoilers for the One Piece manga.
When it comes to the most influential manga of the past few decades, there's one manga that comes to mind, and that's it a pieceEiichiro Oda's masterpiece. a piece has been going from strength to strength since its debut in 1997. However, due to many problems, the pace of the manga has obviously slowed down a lot. In fact, from 2024, Oda, the creator, is taking breaks many times.
One Piece Anime Officially Reveals Elbaf Arc's Release Date
The Elbaf arc of One Piece is coming soon. The official release date is finally available.
Now, in January 2026, it has become even clearer. As One Piece returns with Chapter 1171 this week, a new break is set to begin right after. One Piece Chapter 1172 is being delayed and will be released two weeks later, in early February. In that sense, January has definitely been a weak month, but it's nothing new for fans as it usually happens every winter season every year.
One Piece is going on a break after Chapter 1171
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The new One Piece break begins on January 18, 2026
A piece has just experienced some breaksbut The manga will return on January 18, 2026. In fact, after a long delay, One Piece Chapter 1171 is finally releasing, and fans are excited for it. However, to the dismay of many, It is revealed that after the manga returns with chapter 1171, the manga immediately goes on hiatus again.. This has certainly surprised some, as the manga has been on an indefinite break for some time over the past two months, and fans had hoped that chapter 1171 would be the end of it.
Unfortunately, the next break starts as soon as the next chapter is released, which means Fans will have to say goodbye to their favorite manga for a while on January 18, 2026Awaiting its final return next month.
One Piece returns with Chapter 1172 on February 1, 2026
The number of breaks has definitely been on the high end in the last few weeksAnd while that's unfortunate, fans already know when their favorite manga is coming back. With a break starting on January 18, 2026, the manga will return exactly two weeks later. In other wordsOne Piece There will be no new chapters in the month of JanuaryAnd One Piece 1171 will mark its end. instead, One Piece Chapter 1172 will be released on February 1st, 2026.
In January 2026, a piece received only two official releases
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There were breaks due to Oda and Weekly Shonen Jump
Both December 2025 and January 2026 were extremely difficult months for One Piece fans.. After all, the series experienced some breaks during these two months. Although this is nothing new, it is definitely a difficult deal to make every year. Most of the breaks come around the holidays and New Years and they have nothing to do with Eiichiro Oda. Instead, One Piece, a magazine serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, goes on a bit of a break due to a vacation in Japan. Naturally, these brakes are out of Oda's control. The latest delay for One Piece 1171 was also due to the magazine.
However, it is important to note The upcoming delay for One Piece Chapter 1172 is due to Oda's own schedule. Oda takes a break every 3 weeks, and this is just one of them. Oda does not change its schedule to accommodate the weekly Shonen Jump break. So, to the fans, it will definitely feel too long. Oda has technically delivered 3 chapters without a break of his own, it's time to rest.
A new Straw Hat is coming, and he will finally take down Zoro in one piece
Zoro will no longer be the second strongest after this character joins the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece.
with that, One Piece will end its January run and only two official chapters will be released. One of these two was soon leaked. So for those following the scan, January 2026 technically only saw the release of one chapter.
Of course, while Oda's breaks come fast and often, fans need to remember that he needs these breaks for his own health and well-being. A mangaka's job is certainly not easy, and it takes a toll on them. Eiichiro Oda is getting old, and he needs rest more than ever.
A few years ago, Oda could get away with little or no rest in a year, now, that's not possible.
Oda also wants to spend more time with his family. Earlier, Oda described how little free time he had, not even time to sleep or eat. Fans should wait patiently for her grand return and remember that New Years and holidays are exceptions when it comes to the number of breaks. Fans should expect the schedule to return to normal in February. At the very least, the brakes will extend the life of a piece, so it's not all too bad.
What is in the One Piece manga?
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The Elbaf arc continues, and the flashbacks will end soon
a piece Breaks have always been tough for fans, but they're especially tough when the events are as exciting as the one at Elbaf. in fact, Elbaf is the newest arc of One Piece, and it's been pretty hot since its inceptionDelivering top-class content every week. Ichiro Oda reveals a ton of exciting world lore with Harley graffiti, holy knights, emu, and the full events of the God Valley event in this arc.
Now, in 2026, the story is still trying to heat up. Recently, fans got to see Loki's full backstory and how it all ties into his father, Harald, who wanted Elbaf to make a deal with the World Government.
now, The flashback is almost overAnd fans will soon be back to see what's going on with Luffy and the others. While the flashbacks are exciting, a great battle awaits Elbaf with Emu, Holy Knights and Domi facing off against the Reversed Giants. Fans are especially ready to see big moments for Loki, the cursed prince of Elbaf, and Oda will surely give fans a showcase of his abilities soon.
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece focuses on the journey of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they travel the seas to claim the great treasure known as One Piece. The manga is now on its final saga. One piece will be featured in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump issue. The official release date of One Piece Chapter 1171 is January 18, 2026. In Japan, One Piece drops on Mondays at 12AM JST, which is 11:00 AM EST, or 8:00 AM PT. Fans can read the chapter for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps. Doing this will ensure that fans will always support the author.
Source: X
